The four-day Dubai Show Jumping Championship CSI5* W (World Cup Arab League) opened on Wednesday with UAE’s 2017 Dubai Grand Prix winner Sheikh Ali Abdulla Al Qassimi winning the AED 37,614.77 CSI2* Emirates Equestrian Centre – Two Phase Class, featuring an impressive 41 riders from 15 countries.
27-year-old Sheikh Ali Qassimi aboard 13-year-old Saga De La Roque, finished top of the leader-board. Speaking later the winner said: “It is always a good feeling to win and be on the podium, Dubai Show (Jumping Championship) is very special to me personally, I have really good memories here in the arena, so I always have this winning feeling and winning spirit when I cross this gate here. I am really happy, it is the first class of a long weekend of jumping and I am really happy I could start with a win.”
The internationally acclaimed Dubai Show Jumping Championship (DSJC) is a CSI5*W event; the topmost category of competition in show jumping worldwide, with the prize money pool worth AED 2 million.
Mohammed Shafi Al Remeithi completed a UAE sweep for the day with a dominant win in the Dubai Equestrian Club – Against the Clock – Class. Riding aboard Puck, the 37-year-old was the final rider of a total of 27 competitors from 12 nations reflecting the truly international environment of the Dubai Show Jumping Championship. The top ten riders from this Class have qualified for the CSI2* Meydan Grand Prix on Saturday.
Speaking after his win Al Remeithi said: “I am very thankful for this won. I was last as per the start list, and as I watched the riders ahead of me I could see they were not very fast. My horse is naturally fast and in the end both my horse and I did the job. We came first. I am now looking ahead and I hope that we will get a similar result in the Grand Prix on Saturday (CSI2* Meydan Grand Prix).
Apart from scintillating show jumping action, the four-day equine festival offers fun-filled days of activity for the family at the purpose-built Emirates Equestrian Centre. The venue offers an outstanding food and entertainment village, which includes stalls and food trucks offering a variety of local and international cuisine. An excellent entertainment program has been arranged including a thrilling horse show from Z7 and much more.
Apple Watches, iPhones and iPads, along with a meal for two at the Al Hadheerah restaurant are just some of a range of attractive gifts to be won through daily raffle draw.
Meydan Pillar Partners Emirates, Longines, Azizi Developments and Gulf News return to support this prominent international competition.
Day two is the busiest of the weekend with a total of four classes scheduled. The day begins with the Meydan Speed Stakes Class at 9 am, followed by the Azizi Developments – Two Phase. With a short break in between, the action resumes with two CSI5* events, The Emirates Airline Welcome Stakes – Special Two Phase and the Longines FEI World Cup Qualifier, which is the qualifier for the Emirates Airline Dubai Grand Prix – the finale on Saturday.
